A White Marble Head of a Lokapala (618 - 907)

Finely carved from white marble, his head turned to peer over his right shoulder, the hair pulled back into a high knot and held in place by a triangular clasp, the round face exhibiting an intense expression highlighted by the deeply knit eyebrows and the alert and bulging eyes.

Commonly placed in tombs in pairs as guardians of the four directions of the universe, such figures as the present example are imposing images of power and strength. Known as tianwang (“Heavenly Kings”) in Chinese or lokapala in Sanskrit, such guardians generally bear Central or Western Asian features reflecting a greater familiarity with foreigners in the Tang dynasty. The use of foreign features for frightening effect was also influenced by Buddhistic models with bestial associations.1 There are in existence relatively few sculptures of white marble dating from the Tang Dynasty. Traditionally, sculptures made of wood or stone were used for temples.2